e) research and development. ARTICLE 10.6 REGIONAL CO-OPERATION 1. Member States shall encourage regional co-operation amongst their Governments, regulators, service providers and other stakeholders to promote common business interests in the Region and globally and, to this end, Member States shall also encourage the establishment of regional bodies in the manner contemplated in Article 13.13 of this Protocol and the granting of consultative status to such bodies in the manner contemplated in Article 13.6 of this Protocol. 2. Member States agree to develop complementary strategies in respect of the development of telecommunications networks and services including the need for appropriate mechanisms for the funding of the provision of universal service. ARTICLE 10.7 REGULATORY FRAMEWORK Member States shall ensure the separation between the regulation and operation of telecommunications services within their national jurisdictions, and, to this end, Member States shall a) establish autonomous, independent and national regulatory bodies which shall have statutory authority to regulate and monitor specified telecommunications related activities in the respective Member States; and b) encourage the establishment of industry-based bodies or fora with a view to ensuring participation by industry in telecommunications policy development. ARTICLE 10.8 RESPONSIBILITIES OF NATIONAL REGULATORY BODIES Member States agree that national regulatory bodies shall have responsibility for a) negotiating and setting universal service obligations for network service providers including public network service providers; b) monitoring the usage of universal service funds by national universal service agencies where such agencies and funds are established; c) licensing of (i) telecommunications service providers; and (ii) radio spectrum users in as far as the licensing of such users is not undertaken by separate broadcasting regulatory authorities; d) monitoring adherence to licence conditions; e) managing the frequency spectrum in a manner which will ensure the most efficient use of the spectrum;